I'm spending this week emceeing the Open Squash Classic, a squash tournament here in New York City. If you're in town the finals are on Thursday night with tickets available all week. Hope to see...

What’s your “why”? Why do you do what you do? Why do you get out of bed in the morning? Once you know, let’s talk: It’ll make you a great writer!

A new bagel shop opened in our neighborhood a few weeks ago. I took a picture on Sunday morning because I am not kidding: People wait for hours to get one. The great thing about living here, apart...

I’m emcee’ing a major event in two weeks. My motto? “Proper Preparation Prevents P*ss-Poor Performance.”

My wife and I used to cook a lot. We'd email each other during our workdays at our offices and figure out which ingredients to buy. We'd spend time cooking together when we got home and enjoy a nice...

The summer is over in New York City. Our three-year-old son starts at a new school on Thursday and we're excited and scared to see how it goes. Yesterday I bumped into a friend of mine at the...

One of my best friends in the world is a dentist. He often gives people excellent advice about their teeth, but he's also used to it going by the wayside. I was joking recently that a good title for...

It’s been a busy summer on the news front, with the news cycle turning over more rapidly than it often does when the temperatures soar. In that context, I still believe most nonprofits and...

I had a vigorous discussion over dinner in Virginia last night with my in-laws about politics. Remember those? I said I thought Kamala Harris would win the presidency, holding the senate but not the...

The New York Times released its Best 100 Books of the 21st Century list last week, which is bound to inspire controversy since it’s less than 25% done. The century. Not the list. An interlude: I’m...

My mother was always reading a book. It's my strongest memory of her, as I was growing up. Whether I was in the lounge with her, watching television, or when we were on vacation. There were books...

We need to change our ideas about what such people look like.

Many of my clients are women of color. I'm lucky that they trust me to help elevate their voices and get them the attention they deserve. I do currently have one white guy as a client, and he's a...

Still, who’s going to win the 2024 election, eh?

Who's in charge, here? This is, in theory, an easy question with a straightforward answer. If I were an alien landing in many nonprofits, though, then you might keep me waiting after I said: "Take...

I just went to my first WNBA game to watch the New York Liberty. I'm firmly on the bandwagon now because it was fantastic. I can see why women's sports are a growth investment area around the world...

If the answer is about eight million, I have some tips for you!

I once had an editor with a “no poetry” rule. Hopefully this one will irritate them no end.

I was ready to dismiss Isabella Stewart Gardner as a rich lady dabbling in the arts like a tourist. But the reality was much more interesting and inspiring…

New York can be surprisingly small sometimes…

I thought of other images for this, but here's Freddy meeting a giraffe at the zoo last week. It was an amazing moment! Yay! My LDL cholesterol is high enough that I now need to manage it with a...

I’m considering starting a LinkedIn Live series called “my deepest fears”, where I interview friends and acquaintances about…spoiler alert…their deepest fears. And what they can teach us. What do...

As a character, I find Ripley fascinating. Not because we’re all secret sociopaths. But because we all face moments in our lives when we get to choose how best to present ourselves.

My resting heart rate is 49 and I often sleep a full eight hours a night. I wish I could say these were the only benefits of wearing a Whoop fitness strap. But as a strategic communications...

Nonprofit communications directors often face a myriad of challenges. I did the job myself, before I started consulting, so I know how hard it is. Luckily, I also know how I can help. I've just had...

When you’re trying to express a complicated idea, be prepared for your communications to take a few creative turns.

I had an unusual win on the squash court last night, and it gave me hope for the 2024 election. My opponent was higher rated than I am by a significant degree. He played squash at Princeton and is a...

When you’re stressed, it can impact your communications. Get a second pair of eyes on things!

I've been running The Comms Whisperer as a LinkedIn newsletter for more than two years, now. I am a total evangelist for doing these kinds of newsletters. On a pure per-client basis, spending a...

I’ve found that smart cause-driven funders and leaders do still think like businesspeople. They want to know that if they’re spending money on things, they’re getting a return.

Honestly I’d rather have a laugh than cry.

I have a pet peeve. When I walk into a retail store or a cafe, I want you to greet me straight away.

Beware negative self-talk. Notice it, put it aside, and keep talking to yourself in a positive way. Also, beware overconfidence.

Have you seen anything good at “the pictures,” lately? And what do you think of critics? Did you like Saltburn?

It's been a difficult week with some bad news in our family. I'll spare you the details, but we'll all be alright. Not to worry. At tricky moments I find it helpful to remember that things are...

If you’re like me, the New Year is a frenetic time. I call it “the Januaries.” But… let’s all calm down and take a breath before we communicate!

If you could bottle the benefits of volunteering and sell them back to New Yorkers, you would make a lot of money. That’s a very New York way of thinking about volunteering, I realize.

I made you a Croydon Christmas playlist on Spotify. It comes with all the joy of being a child in a pub in a South London commuter town in mid-December.

I love swag. There's nothing like it for building a sense of shared identity around a cause. On that note, I've had the most fantastic time over the last few weeks getting some t-shirts made for my...

…and that’s ok!

Monday night, I had a friend round for toast. I'm 44. There was a time when if I caught up with a friend, we'd go to the pub. These days it's a delight if they're willing to come round for a cup of...

You can’t ONLY buy a cheese plate. You do need to invest time and energy in other ways. But if you’re volunteering, here’s a good place to start. 🧀

People make mistakes when they move fast. It’s why experience has taught me the value of stopping under pressure. Just for a minute.

I’m not making light of the world’s challenges. But spending half an hour shooting a basketball helped me feel better for a while yesterday. 🏀

Moments of intense pressure bring out the toughness and resilience in many of us.

The show is about the Brink’s Mat gold robbery in London, in the 1980s.

Work is a meditative process which brings me joy. How about you?

A funny thing happened this weekend. I was chatting with two other parents at a local playground and found myself deep in the chat. It was one of those conversations where thoughts spark off each...

I was sick this past weekend. Our son started playgroup and brought a virus home ten days ago. I got it mid-last week. Then on Monday I had to take off work and stay in bed, which is a big thing...

I'm in the enviable position of living in New York's West Village. It's not something I take for granted. I love it here and am prepared to put up with no windows in our bathroom or kitchen, and six...

It's been an emotional week. I saw a piece in the New York Times about the high cost of childcare in the city. It's true. It's high. But my wife and I have found a nice, affordable cooperative...

I've been in Europe for three weeks. We went to see my parents in Southeast London, and then spent a few days in Italy. In Treviso, near Venice, we went with my friend Billy to a fish shop. It was...

Right now the only people speaking up about it are old white curmudgeons growling, “get back to the office.” NOPE.

I've made a slight pivot in my business over recent months. For the past three years I've been what I'd describe as a generalist comms and PR consultant. Now I'm dedicating most of my working life...

I always take a book recommendation, so tell me what I should be reading over the coming weeks!

I write for a living. I help other people write. I coach them on how to do it. Sometimes I do it for them and help them place it in the newspapers. Sometimes I develop long-term strategic plans to...

Fun times…

He may be adorable in photos, but he can throw a tantrum like any two-year-old…

It turns out, “le pause” is rather powerful.

On the right and the left, most people talk to people who agree with them. We hang out in the same spaces. We use the same language. We assume everyone agrees with us about everything. It drives me nuts. 

A friend of mine asked me on Tuesday what my ideal situation is. I looked around and realized, “this is it.” Still, I've been thinking a lot lately about what the future holds. It's a mystery to me....

The New York Times ran an explosive investigative story yesterday. It’s based on excellent reporting and I hope it has the impact it deserves.

There’s a path forward in life for everyone. No matter how hard it might appear at certain points, the path keeps twisting and turning.

I’m literally Googling you right now.

I grew up in England, where we like to drink this stuff. There is an awful lot in a cup of tea.

My mum says, “if you can’t say anything nice, Matthew, don’t say anything at all.” An obedient son would stop here, then, when it comes to events in England over the coming weekend.

I am wearing a tie, so I must be going somewhere important.

It works!

There’s no other written medium that is able to impact a person with such directness.

Sigourney Weaver carrying paper grocery bags is 50% of the reason I moved to New York City. And this is important why?

On average I write about 5,000 words a week. Without false modesty I can tell you that about once a year, I’ll write something really fantastic. But, how?

A white British #soccer star from a working class town is using his platform to further a public conversation about #race and #refugees. 👏🏻 #garylineker

Thanks for reading and sharing this important work.

To be, or not to be? That…well. I guess it’s the question.

How many more years do you want to do all the work without taking any of the credit?

It’s not fair to blame #nonprofits for failing to reach a broader audience. Because the #foundations doing the bulk of the funding of such organizations don’t incentivize it.

You get to choose which parts of yourself to share.

A 14-year-old boy beat me at squash a couple of weeks ago for the third time in a row. I asked him for some feedback on my game, and he told me, "even a lot of your good shots aren't very...

It's been a rough start to this week in America. Two mass shootings in California, a day apart, targeting Asian Americans, have left many of us unsure how to respond. I know it will be a few days...

Frank Pavich wrote a cool piece in the New York Times last weekend. He used an AI bot to imagine a film that doesn't exist. The images are incredible. My jaw dropped. Then I logged in to the same...

Prince Harry has had a rough time. I don't doubt that he has strong feelings about it. Or that he's right to have those feelings. My question is, should he have written a book? And done a press...

A big thing that prevents a lot of people getting into the news cycle is moving too slowly. Here’s how to gear up to catch those currents. #PR #communications #strategiccommunications

I’ve been living out my escapist fantasies this week on YouTube.

Here’s a revolutionary idea…

Do you know anybody who has gotten radicalized over recent years?

Often the clients with the deepest pockets will hire strategic communications experts for $$$$. Then they’ll pay them over the odds to ignore their advice.

It turns out, being mad is a great media relations tactic.

Join me for a conversation with Dietlind Lerner about the history of strategic communication.

I don’t play it up a lot in my life as a communications consultant, but I’m a qualified yoga teacher. I also meditate often.

My brain works like a lizard’s. The best thing I can do (apart from plenty of yoga) is use it for a good cause!

Not every communications consultant likes to stick around.

There’s a simple test anyone can take to figure out what might be going on.

Join us for a chat about the power of street interactions!

If you’ve got a big goal, I’m here to help you move closer towards it.

Join us on Sept 21, or watch the recording after!

These are tough times for Britain. Friends from childhood are telling me they're worried about their electricity bills. Inflation is forecast for 18 percent by January and a recession is due by...

Thinking about how film can help you meet your strategic goals? Join guest speaker Liz Bloomfield and me on LinkedIn Live on August 31 at 11 a.m., EST, 4pm U.K. time. We'll be talking about how film...

When should you close your nonprofit? Take a tip from Kenny Rogers.

The chart above is from a new project examining how we talk about poor people.

Got the mid-career scaries? Facing layoffs? Afraid of "falling behind"? Join mid-career coach Selina Yankson and I on Wednesday for a frank and helpful chat on LinkedIn Live. You can sign up to...

Too many organizations have gone silent of late, rather than take a risk on saying the wrong thing. That’s a misstep.

Brag alert. I'm excellent at communicating. But that doesn't mean it's easy for me. One of the reasons I'm so good at it, in fact, is because I find it so hard. I'm more of an introvert than you...

I’ve found the best way to communicate so you become a priority for other people is as follows…

It’s Father’s Day on Sunday and I haven’t written much about becoming a dad since our son arrived. Freddy is 15 months old now, and the days are long, but the years being short.

The reason most people think they buy things is not the actual reason they buy things.

“The first time you turn down work and you know why, it’s a major step forward as an entrepreneur,” she said.

Just as defunding the police was a major narrative in 2020, the new popular narrative is that police are under-resourced, and crime is out of control.

The news cycle is a rollercoaster right now. If you enjoy rollercoasters, good luck to you. I tend to feel sick and regretful as soon as I get on one.

Public relations people are powerful. We do have the power to shape public approaches at key moments. So it’s important to stand up for what we believe in.

There’s something particularly nourishing about it during the clusterf__kery of recent days.

My most rewarding client relationships come from mutual trust. That means it helps to be authentic from the get-go.

I recently got rid of almost all my suits. Here’s why.

Typical of me to get it just as New York is reopening for everyone.

My friend Rebecca has a new book about riding a pushbike on her own to Tehran.

Unlike 92% of freelancers, I’ve been able to book a week out of town.

It’s Women’s History Month and yesterday, March 15, was Equal Pay Day. That’s how far white women in America must work to earn what men earned in the previous year for doing the same job. And if...

My wife and I got rid of 15 bags of stuff this weekend during a spring clean. I like the Marie Kondo organizing method of asking yourself, "does this spark joy?"I also love having more space to...

This weekend I passed an old church in Upstate New York. Outside a sign said: "EPISCOPAL CHURCH. Organized February 20, 1811 by Rev. Samuel Fuller who built church in 1815 and served as Rector for...

I prefer to use canaries in coalmines as metaphors. In this case, they’re the predictor for the presence of toxic gas in your communications.

My friend Selina is a mid-career executive coach. One of the things she tells people often is that hard work alone isn't enough. As you build a career it's important to not only do good work but to...

Many organisations have complex strategic plans and large marketing teams. They have editorial calendars written months ahead. But when it comes to Monday morning and your newsletter is due out on...

I had a client dispute an invoice last month. I'd got them into a prestigious publication at short notice. I took the job before the holidays when I didn't have the time. But their representative...

Organizations and people lose focus. It messes with our ability to get press coverage. Journalists can't see where we fit into their stories. If we can be the go-to for a quote on a given subject,...

When I'm not working, playing squash, or spending time with my family, I'm a spy. At least, that's my fantasy. Except I left my native England and took American citizenship. They don't tend to...

I've been on a few calls this year where people haven't been able to even feign enthusiasm. It's the first time in my career I can remember when people have been this "over it". I've been reflecting...

People often ask me “how do I get unstuck and write something?” They also ask me: “What should I write about?” The answer lies in one of the best jobs I ever had. I had to write a weekly politics...

Remember: Everything always works out better when I loosen my grip and have confidence in myself and the future.  That's the best resolution I made last year and if I look back, it's the one I wish...

Happy Holidays. I hope you buy the biggest tree and hang it with the most ornaments. I hope you’re able to be of good cheer and find generosity in your heart. Especially if like us you’ve had to...

Christmas parties are dangerous for reputations and careers. And not only the one in Mad Men where the lady runs over a colleague’s foot with a John Deere tractor. Love that TV show. Case in point....

One of my favorite things about being a teenager was being in a band with my mates Ben, Ron, and Billy.  That’s them, left to right, with me second from left looking manic in the picture. Our...

I’m reading a lovely French book about a kimono artist in Japan. In it, the author describes watching an encounter between the kimono maker’s wife and a fishmonger. The fishmonger and the kimono...

This year, I'm grateful for a lovely family and a thriving business. For a dynamic life in Manhattan and for living around the corner from the Village Vanguard. I never dreamed I'd be so lucky. I'm...

People love to care a lot about things that don't matter a great deal. For example, do you watch The Great British Baking Show on Netflix? If you do, I bet you have a strong opinion about whether...

When I was a kid growing up in South London, I loved the Usborne Detective's Handbook. One of my favorite pages was this one about how to “set up an office” (see below)—including advice to keep a...

This week my son Freddy learned the most valuable gesture of them all, to cross his fingers. See above. And my book recommendation is Paris Trance by Geoff Dyer. Reading it, I’ve come to realize...

In general, I like to be a positive person. But only because I feel like that’s the thing you have to say before going off on a rant. Let’s cut to the chase…  What’s up with podcasts? I was on a...

I spent the weekend in upstate New York, meditating at an ashram. Eating vegan food. Doing yoga. You know. Getting my Henry David Thoreau on. My favorite example of someone trying to do this and...

I spent three days last week at Commnet’s virtual conference. That’s me in the picture unpacking their fancy swag box and showing off my strategically placed houseplants. Here are the three most...

It's #WorldMentalHealthDay this weekend, and this is what mental illness looks like. I know, right? Downright gorgeous…🥸 Let’s break the stigma. A lot of us have an idea in our heads of what someone...

I love reading newsletters, and I love creating them for my clients. We don't ALL need a regular newsletter, but I do think most people and organizations would benefit greatly from having one....

I turned 42 on Saturday. It's the number of streets in the block number for Times Square and the New York Public Library. Or the meaning of the universe, according to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the...

Don't read the comments. That's a piece of advice I give to most of my clients when they're featured in the media. Because at some point, when you put your head above the parapet, somebody is going...

A decade working as a journalist in newsrooms on both sides of the Atlantic gave me a hard sense of what’s news. And what isn’t.

As a "comms whisperer" I'm often brought in when people have a handful of reporters they've been talking to, but aren't sure how to best to leverage those relationships to get coverage for their...

I’ve been mostly off work, but it’s been a fun month. I went with my wife and son from New York to England and Italy, our first proper vacation since before COVID and the first of little Freddy’s...

When people ask me what they should look for in a communications consultant, I say "is his name Matt Davis?"  🥸 But there's more to it. Let me tell you an illustrative story.  My friend Russ was...

Challenge is important. No matter how well you're dressed, if you're an emperor. Or how great your communications strategies might be.   Tricky subject for many of us, this, but I’m here to tell you...

One of my favorite Martin Luther King, Jr quotes is about the value of hard work. He said that if you're called to be a street sweeper, you should do it like Michaelangelo painted. You should sweep...

First up, would you like a free seven-day pass to Masterclass? I’ve been taking a course in political campaign messaging led by Karl Rove and David Axelrod and have two free seven-day passes to give...

I have a strong South London accent. Nobody in America hears the difference but people in London used to comment on it often. Which is a large part of why I moved to New York. Everyone here assumes...

The last time England, where I was born, beat Germany in a major soccer tournament was 1966. It’s taken 55 years for us, as a country, to process our doubts and overcome them.  What does England's...

'This is the best event I have attended definitely for 2021, perhaps throughout my working life!' That’s actual feedback we got on last week’s hastily convened Transatlantic conversation about...

There are a few services out there that charge PR people like me thousands of dollars to post press releases online, and spam them out to reporters all over the world. You can search these databases...

Most of us wish we could easily recreate our ideal tone of voice, quickly. But it’s a challenge.

It’s rare I’ll begin working with a client when they’re calm and relaxed. Still, it doesn’t mean anything is actually on fire.

“Professionalism” is actually a trojan horse for talking about inclusion.

What does it mean to be “professional” at work?

When you need to get somebody’s attention, what do you do?

Leaders often tell me they’re too busy to communicate, but in the same breath they ask how they can quickly multiply their audience.

Making a film for a group of cooperative bakeries that are trying to be a “democracy demonstration project”.

Sorry, not sorry, to open this by linking you to a Spice Girls video.

Populism is almost a vulgar concept, particularly if you’ve worked seriously on a cause you believe in for decades.

I’ve been meaning to share a great survey from a British comms recruiter for a while. They surveyed communications people on their reasons for quitting.

I’m high-strung when it comes to this sort of thing.

A former high school friend of mine, Ed, ran 68 miles this past weekend. Question: Why on earth would anybody want to do that?

Don’t worry, this isn’t an Elton John fan post. That would really warrant an apology.

We have a new teammember!

Career coaching is a great way to keep things interesting and for me to stay engaged as a consultant. As part of that process I’ve been prioritizing my career goals. And it turns out? “Delivering...

No pressure. But how would you explain your worst mistake?

I was inspired by something I saw walking through midtown…

I’m all for us having this conversation more openly.

The short answer is yes, but not very often. And certainly not in this case.

Because character is how you treat people who can do nothing for you.

What I learned about communications from losing the “Covid-19″…or 20. Pounds.

Racial justice risk can be a factor in long term financial performance.

“I call Matt the Michael Clayton of press coverage,” said a colleague, recently.

Why do people listen to what you have to say? What makes them engage with you?

…it’s the writing.

…don’t tell me you’re doing any actual WORK between Dec 15 and January 5…

…like Santa Claus, a lot of people talk about these things. But does yours actually exist?

aka “sell more books.”

Simplicity+Focus=Engagement!

…my first job washing dishes.

“Find a Subject You Care About” and “Pity the reader.”

Don’t worry. It’s a metaphor with broader implications for our democracy.

Ho-o-ly mackerel!

Don’t push the red button. Don’t even think about it. You see where I’m going with this, I hope.

It’s a subtle art, but it pays dividends.

We need to believe in our work. We need to have energy. We need to have presence.

It’s really quite simple, actually…

My grandfather built his own central heating system from scratch. I will not be doing that.

I’m being chased by an inflatable white ball. But that ball is an instant messenger service.

How do you stand out from the crowd when your communications are designed by committee?

Give good writing a fighting chance through any approvals process.

Don’t beg. For a start.

It’s direct advice for public speaking, but it works.

If you care about how it feels to do a job, then we’ll have a lot in common.

Rather than “always be closing”, “always be considerate.”

How storytellers build your movement.

Tricky question, this…

Having served as a journalist for a decade, I favor the opposite of a Friday Night News Dump™…

For behavior change to happen, “cultural norming” is required.

The most common writing advice I give my clients is to write shorter.

Leaders are looking around at the likes of Ben & Jerry’s, right now.

Think of France’s national motto: Liberté, égalité, fraternité.

What are you reading? What’s on your bookshelf?

I understand that feeling of being stuck when it comes to talking about race. But here’s why I will buy you a cookie if you use the word “race” on LinkedIn. Seriously.

I hate to break it to you, but it doesn’t matter how right you are.

If you can’t persuade people, then you’ll lose.

It’s paralyzing to write about mental health, because who’s the audience? Everyone? It should be.

“To be honest, I never really thought about why I needed a website,” he said. Ruh-roh!

Trees communicate at the pace of a third of an inch a minute, apparently. I know, right? It was, in fact, news to me that they could communicate at all.* But when they’re under attack, they’ll send...

You want a new website? You want to focus more on getting press hits? What about a statement of organizational values to show the world what you're all about?  Where to start?! The hard truth...

A well executed, short animation will garner more views and better cut-through for your message. After coming up with the idea of resurrecting Britain's "Charley Says" public safety films, to...

During my time at Brickwall, a digital creative production studio in London’s Shoreditch, our “Hot Looks” film drawing attention to the dangers of hair straighteners won a 2014 CorpComms Digi Award...

It can be particularly hard these days to get somebody to answer a question in an interesting and engaging way. Our interviews run to tight schedules, with talking points rehearsed in-depth, in...